Road Rage - Understanding, Avoidance and De-escalating Situation

This is a discussion on Road Rage - Understanding, Avoidance and De-escalating Situation within Street Experiences, part of the Buckle Up category; Originally Posted by bruiser
To chase these goons is asking for trouble. They have nothing to lose and hence their ...

To chase these goons is asking for trouble. They have nothing to lose and hence their behavior. I would request people to let them be, its not worth it, they might cause you permanent harm.
Thank god the doc is not critically injured.

India is a lawless place, one needs to keep that in mind always. Whether some of you might like it or not, its a jungle out there. God help us all.

Dear mate, The easiest way to address any issue is by forgetting it or making statements from a comfort zone. In my view, the doctor should not just sit back; rather he should take the correct course of action against the person. It's high time to make such offenders realize that they should never under-estimate the power of a common man. Road-rage is a growing menace pan-India hence this issue needs to be immediately looked into.

Dont feel bad; but I would like to ask you; Would you still give this same suggestion to any of your close friends if they faced a similar situation?

A very informative writeup with a great insight into the various cause and effect.
The other day I was on my Bike at the IISC signal waiting for the signal to turn green at around 9 PM.
There was little traffic coming from the left side where we all intended to go.This Innova Guy behind me starts honking incessantly (dual/double shrill horn) asking me to go ahead and take a left.
I point out to him that the signal is red.He starts honking even more.
First I think, Let me stand my ground and make him wait.
But then, I just allow him to pass by getting into the left corner .
While passing me he keeps on honking and takes the left turn narrowly missing a BMTC bus.
God bless him.
Me , simple, I am just happy reaching home safe.

Dear mate, The easiest way to address any issue is by forgetting it or making statements from a comfort zone. In my view, the doctor should not just sit back; rather he should take the correct course of action against the person. It's high time to make such offenders realize that they should never under-estimate the power of a common man. Road-rage is a growing menace pan-India hence this issue needs to be immediately looked into.

Dont feel bad; but I would like to ask you; Would you still give this same suggestion to any of your close friends if they faced a similar situation?

OT: A country cannot be blamed in general because of a weak set-up.

Thanks

AD

Well I do understand where you are coming from but then I disagree with the part that I am making a statement from a safe/comfort zone. I travel on the same lawless roads day in and day out.

Its just my opinion matey, and since i have a 2 year old waiting for me, I do tend to keep a safe distance these days and will always suggest that people like you and me do the same. There is police to stop these morons and its their job, not ours. BTW, it is illegal/unlawful to confront someone on the roads, at least that's what the law says.

And there is nothing to feel bad about your post, we are in a forum where the idea is to share opinions and where we can both agree to disagree.

I live close to the place where this happened and can imagine it all. This junction is notorious for vehicles coming on the wrong side of the road. This is because there are no right turns anywhere in a busy four road crossing and nobody has the patience to go and do a U turn ahead.

I once berated the cop who was standing at the junction for turning a blind eye to every infraction, He took out his Blackberry and showed me his day's work - he and his partner had booked some 800 people that day . No kidding ; I saw his Blackberry.

So do the cops - I see them every day and they have an impossible job at that junction. Its not just the Innova drivers who break the law there - two wheelers, autos, water tankers, cars, LCVs, private vehicles, trucks, nobody gives a damn.

This is definitely a failure of the traffic control system. The fine for the infraction needs to be high enough for people to fall in line.

Instead of trying to take matters into their own hands, a citizen collective needs to motivate the cops to do their job.

Small fines for serious traffic violations are useless and may even encourage people to take "short cuts" by paying a small fine.

Yesterday faced a situation which nobody would like to face. I was just going for a long drive to meet my uncle for some work. I took the bypass road and there is bridge on canal on the way just 4 kms away from home. I reached there and saw a big crowd and took it as a political rally. Lot of cars and bikes were parked on both sides of the road, as there was a little left turn to go over that bridge I was not able to see the situation. I reached on the bridge and saw everybody looking into the canal and road was blocked by people with some vehicles. I logically analysed the situation, a car jumped into the canal (Next day heard that there was only driver in the car, was drunk & died. There was no way a guy can jump into that canal if he is not either drunk or highly overspeeding) but as millions of people were already standing there with relief team (Police & Crane etc) I thought of not to be the part of that road situation and tried to pass by. But suddenly some goons who always are there to get their deeds done by taking advantage of these type of situations ran towards mine and other cars following me. I anticipated the situation and thanked myself of having 0-Dep insurance as the car is brand new just 20 days old. One of them badmouthed on me and kicked the right headlight in the effort of breaking it but headlight survived and he unhinged the front bumper slightly with some scratches at that place. He shouted for switching the car off then and there. My mind started calculating the best escape mechanism and counter strike but hold my horses on later as there were hundreds of people which could have turned into a violent mob for no reason if those goons have put some false allegations on me. Luckily the other side road was empty as everybody was hanging on the corners of the bridge and one bystander suggested me to take a U-turn, as I felt this is the best way to minimize every sort of damage, so I obliged.

I was so furious due to my helplessness and all day I was in depression even after having Redbulls. I just can't understand this society, what purpose was that violent behavior solving, what help those goons were doing by blocking the road to the victim. Why are we like this. I am sure, if I was with some 3-4 friends, those goons could haven't dare this. It felt it like a slap on my cheek but I played it cool at that time for my family.

Since there were couple of updates on this thread regarding various cases, this thread was something that I was reading page by page and incidentally something happened right opposite to my office gate (Audi Service center gate) in Electronics City yesterday evening around 7pm.

I and my colleague were on the foothpath walking towards a snack shop while we hear commotion, loud talk, honking from the road and realise a biker (Scooty Pep) and 3 normal looking guys arguing.

Just another everyday incident was the obvious thought as we walked ahead till we heard the argument graduating to fisticuffs!

There were 2 guys in the scooty including the rider. While the pillion was trying to pacify both the parties and introduce calm, both the parties were in no mood to listen. The other vehicle was a Nissan Terrano and had 3 guys, 1 lady, a girl aged around 8 and an infant in the lady's lap.

Both the parties were yelling at each other non stop while the guys from Terrano were abusing in all possible superlatives that a Kannadiga can think of while the Scooty rider kept yelling something in Telugu.

Then followed a blow on the rider's cheek and it all started that later evolved into a typical fight with helmet used as weapon and three vs one!

Traffic stopped, onlookers (Includes me) witness this for a while. The lady upon realising one of her men got hit comes out now, in anger hurls abuses to the rider (Yes, you read it right).

Mind you, for any commoner, who gets to see the scene from this point, would make it feel like the lady was abused or a victim and the mob would have easily hit the rider under suspicion.

As stranded drivers now make request to take the vehicle off the road and allow traffic to move, the Terrano guys get inside and warn this chap asking him to come to the corner of the road if he had guts. The Terrano leaves and is parked in the corner further ahead about 200 meters from the spot with blinkers on.

All 3 men now walk to the shop where I was sipping tea and buy cigarettes. I ask him:-

What was the matter? He responds that the Scooty was ridden in a wrong manner on the left of their Terrano between the Gaps that it may have easily caused a swipe or a collision. When they told that fella to move, he got defensive and that where they stopped and it all started.

What we saw was this – One of the 3 men hit the rider first!

In the next few seconds, 2 Pulsars arrive and these 3 men greet them and tell them in Kannada that be ready to do some Denting and Tinkering to that youth. So yes, the 3 men who possibly felt demoralized due to one chap hitting them now called an army of goons to teach this fellow a lesson.

They walked around with wooden sticks looking for this guy but he and his pillion rider had already gone!

Lesson for all of us -

Never be under wrong impression that if a car has lady passengers with kids, then the men would behave – In this case they turned out to be goons!

Practice patience – Practice it more and more such that you learn how to calm down the situation instead of getting argumentative

Always think about the WHAT IF factor if something goes wrong – You have Parents, Wife and Kids waiting for you at home. Hence, cut it right then before situation escalates.

A sorry or a calm response that it happened by mistake can actually lead to cease fire!

At times, upon assessing the antecedents of the other party (that they can get physical), you can admit your mistake even if it wasn't yours

You really don't want to go home with a torn shirt and a bleeding nose or swollen eye brows in front of your kids and wife, do you?

At times, upon assessing the antecedents of the other party (that they can get physical), you can admit your mistake even if it wasn't yours

Couldn't agree more. Getting home to my family means more to me than proving a point (however justified) to a moron who won't learn anyway. More so in today's times, when the most minor of altercations turn fatal/homicidal in seconds. They'll get what's coming to them eventually, I usually just put up a hand to defuse the situation and move on.

This article is from today's newspaper. Is this the same guy who recorded a video of his 7 year old kid driving a Ferrari and posted it on YouTube- that was also a Sobha City resident if I recall correctly. Bhpians from Thrissur maybe able to throw more light.

Really a shocking incident. From the article it seems that it is not a 'one off' case of road rage either.

My four stage formula for dealing with egomaniacs on the road is as follows:
- Test
- Let them go
- (Try to) Escape
- Call the police

After a LONG time (damn chennai's made me soft!) I had to do all four steps today.
Was harassed by PY01AD6262 a black swift (PYBS henceforth) which had 3-4 young guys for over a couple of km near the accord puducherry signal (where the tindivanam highway route splits from the ECR).

Stage 1
First this guy tries to cut in really bad, last minute, no indication, I had to brake to avoid an accident - all at 20ish kph!! It is my principle to resist atleast once - I nosed my car parallel. However, PYBS was undaunted. In bumper to bumper traffic - he cut in further, almost scratching my bumper.

Stage 2I realized PYBS is a real egomaniac, so I just let him go now. Except as the traffic opened up, I realized this idiot was brake testing me at 30 kph on an open road. I played ball with this for about a km/two red lights.

Stage 3Somehow at another red light, I thought now that I have indulged his ego and he had sort of moved to the right, I decided to get on with life, and proceeded to start off at a good clip from the red light. Except PYBS's ego got hurt again. Driving off at regular speeds with PYBS still around was a colossal mistake. This time things got serious - the dude came from behind and cut very sharply ahead of me. If I did not monitor his car, I would certainly have rear ended / T-boned him. This was annoying and something flipped. I decided to give him a lesson. Over the next two km, I just didn't let him get ahead. But what this gent lacked in skills, he made up in outright suicidal and bullying driving. It got to the point where he almost sideswiped another couple of cars pursuing mine. This was building up to an accident real quick.

Stage 4Just before the Kanni koil street exit, I decided I had enough. I let him get ahead, almost pulled over with hazard blinkers and pulled out my Nokia (wasnt going to use the touchscreen while driving) when PYBS turned left and stopped to give me the middle finger. Another 10 seconds of this harassment and I would've called the police - I would've rather confronted them in Pondicherry city limits than out on the highway where police presence / response time is questionable.

I only wish I had a dashcam today - would've made for an interesting video

Keep a pepper spray handy. Use in case of emergency and get out of the situation asap.

+1 to that, some of the things i have in my car-
1-Pepper spray
2-Cricket bat
3-Dash cam
4-A wrench
And yes I never open the window for any reason in case of confrontation.I have never used 1,2 and 4 but have still kept them for self defence.

My four stage formula for dealing with egomaniacs on the road is as follows:
- Test
- Let them go
- (Try to) Escape
- Call the police
..
I only wish I had a dashcam today - would've made for an interesting video

Well, what a coincidence it is, that I met the PY-swift's relative here in Pune.
He was in an M800.

Difference :
I only limited it to Stage 1 & 2.
I too tested just once, & then let him go.

Another difference, I had my dashcam recording the whole thing
Will upload the video and share the link here.

At times, I only think, by doing this - we are only letting them know - that this kind of driving will let them have things their way, and with that kinda attitude too.

I keenly follow this thread & road rage related instances, so I am aware of the scene, but, I still can't help but think - What exactly are we doing, apart from snoozing the accident alarms every single time.

A horrific incident in Mumbai where an IT guy was thrashed who was taking his 8 month pregnant wife to hospital for a check up.HE ended up with a broken nose and a traumatized wife thankfully not harming her in any other manner. The police were not cooperative untill the commissioner himself intervened.

A horrific incident in Mumbai where an IT guy was thrashed who was taking his 8 month pregnant wife to hospital for a check up.HE ended up with a broken nose and a traumatized wife thankfully not harming her in any other manner. The police were not cooperative untill the commissioner himself intervened.

That was bad. I dont understand what people achieve by thrashing someone in such a situation ? a moral victory !!! poor fellow, one can imagine the trauma his wife would have gone through at that moment. It is high time some law (there might be one already !) is made for overcoming the problem of Unnecessary road rages

Been a part of many such incidents. Only one thing works - "Stop right there, apologize saying some reason". Settle it then and there. Even if you move out of the incident zone by 50-100 meters, you have escalated it already.

A punch on the spot may become two or three down the road.

Apologize then and there, close the issue amicably, act like a chicken if you have to, but please resolve it then and there. Dont make smart-ass moves like calling 100 or your friends or a high handed body language, just let it go and remember the car can take a beating, and you got to reach home safe.